6 weeks on.... 'Tis the season to be jolly!

Well....the great news is I passed my six week check up this morning with flying colours. I didn't see Gandalf (my wizard of a surgeon) but his trusted registrar (who I have called Legolas - a messenger elf, from The Lord of the Rings) who was responsible for stitching me up so neatly! And yes, I am taller than him!

What did I need to do to pass the test ?

• The wound, which looks like a zip line now, was scrutinised and declared to have healed very well.



• I had to hold hands with Legolas (very nice!) and stand on one leg and balance..each leg in turn.



• I said I could walk for 50 minutes. There were pleasing gasps of surprise and much praise from Legolas at this information.



• I demonstrated walking without sticks. Legolas said 'That looks extremely normal'.



• Legolas, WPH and I reviewed the 'before and after' X rays and concluded the whole operation had been a huge success.

So what can I do now?

• I can wean myself off the sticks.



• I can move back to 'my' side of the bed. Many thanks to WPH for the temporary lone of his side!



• I can have a bath instead of a shower......Oh the joy and rapture of tomorrow morning's bath!



• I can drive again when I have shown WPH I can do an emergency stop!



• I can sit on a normal height chair

Altogether I feel like a normal person again. I thanked Legolas profusely and offered to give him a hug (I was feeling very excited...even euphoric at this stage!). In the end we smiled and shook hands. And that, as they say, is it. I don't have to go back for any check ups...amazing. My cobalt chromium stainless steel and high impact polyethylene hip joint should see me through for the next twenty years or so....and may be beyond with luck.

I am one very happy Lady Hip and I am going to celebrate my good fortune. CHEERS!

Physical and mental workouts

I hope readers will forgive the constant reference to achievements but having undergone major surgery I suspect it's only natural to want to return to 'how I used to be' as soon as possible. Perhaps too, it is the thought of my follow up appointment with the surgeon next week which makes me concentrate on physical milestones. This week I have increased to twenty five repeats for each of my 7 daily exercises, as well as walking round the University Parks (2.2 kms) on two successive days in glorious sunshine. Gandalf (my wizard of a surgeon) has the power to allow me to drive again next week, so not surprisingly that is quite an incentive to do the daily leg therapy. WPH thinks it is like watching a ballet bar workout, although fluffy slippers don't look quite as good as ballet shoes! (NB -no picture here- just use your imagination!)

One impressive student jogger managed to lap me five times during my fairly brisk walk around the parks.....however I couldn't help wondering how his hips would be at my age!?

There have been some mental improvements this week too as the weird after effects of the operation anaesthetic have finally disappeared. I concentrated long enough to finish a diabolical sudoku. YES! Strangely I completed the previous diabolical sudoku during the morning of my operation day...I must have been more focused than I remember!

These knitted Christmas tree decorations are destined for the grandchildren and each took about an hour to finish. Searching on the internet for the patterns took far longer....but I now know there are the most amazing knitting patterns out there!

Finally, having been inspired by a recent post on the Listwriter's blog, and needing sustenance after the mental and physical exertions of the week, I set to work in the kitchen and baked a cake. This was the last slice....mmmmm

Four weeks later....

I can hardly believe that four weeks have now passed since I received my amazing 'spare part'. I thought a quick progress check would be appropriate as we enter December and I continue to celebrate the loss of the grinding arthritic pain. I can now

• walk around the house with only one stick.

• stand confidently with NO STICKS (but only when it is safe to do so)!

• stand and iron again with pleasure.

• mop the kitchen floor.

• walk to the local shops and back again (approximately 1 mile).

No wonder I feel so excited!

Out and About

Escaping outside for a daily walk has been more tricky with the recent weather but I was quick to see a break in the clouds this morning and took my opportunity. Having conquered all the nearby bridges (slopes are much more demanding for the new hip) I now have a greater choice of routes. My first stop was down by the canal to see the narrow boats at their moorings. I was able to admire the hardiness and ingenuity of the owners... solar panels, bicycles, plant pots full of herbs and winter fuel, amongst other things, are stored on the tops of the boats. WPH, detecting a glint in my eye assures me life would be difficult for someone with a dodgy hip on one of those!

Moving on I couldn't resist pausing by the bullrushes, which provide hiding places for so many birds, in the wildlife corridor which runs behind our house. There were birds around ....but all too quick for my camera!

I was also glad to see there is more than enough natural food around to keep the tits, finches, robins and occasional sparrows happy this winter. The seeds and berries together with nuts and fat balls in garden feeders suggest the birds of ox2 could soon be fighting the flab!

Before returning home I walked up onto one of the main bridges over the canal. From there I could look down on some ducks who were admiring a new piece of canal bank reinforcement. In the Spring water plants will emerge from these sausages of sacking and soil. Meanwhile they provide a handy perch for the ducks!

What a day!

When I first started this blog I hoped that others, who might have to undergo hip replacement, would glean some useful information and encouragement from my experiences. Today has been such a good day, :-), full of firsts and so much better than yesterday.

I had been warned about 'good days' and 'bad days' and yesterday certainly belonged to the latter. I won't dwell too much on why or how I felt...suffice to say I had my 23 wound staples removed at 9a.m. by the practice nurse and on Sunday morning I had decided to stop taking the powerful pain killers I was given during my hospital stay (and for as long as I needed them when back at home). Having spent some time on the web this afternoon I now realise yesterday's 'roughness' was caused by the classic withdrawal symptoms from an opioid. What a relief!

So back to today. :-)

I woke up feeling refreshed, (always a good sign). I no longer needed prunes for breakfast (apologies to those who feel 'too much information!'), my daily exercises were less arduous and WPH suggested that as the sun was shining we would have another outing. This called for a change of clothing. I discarded my 'nursing home' baggy trousers and put on my slimline Gerry Weber jeans (a first). What a great feeling!

Having decided to visit the newly extended and refurbished Ashmolean Museum we made an early start. As we came out of the house the winter jasmine looked stunning in the morning sunshine. We drove into Oxford promptly and managed to get a parking slot right outside the entrance.

WPH was in charge of my wonderful cushion (essential to ensure any chairs are the right height for me when sitting down...) Have cushion, will travel.

We meandered slowly through some of the galleries in the Ashmolean, including those with beautiful Renaissance Art and musical instruments. I used the new lift and amazed myself by being on my feet for just under an hour, before we sat and enjoyed a coffee in the basement cafe.

We exited via the excellent shop and were home in time to phone our friends, Alan and Pat, for an update on la vie Francaise. The latest news is....wait for it.... all fosse septiques in France (septic tanks to les Anglais) are being inspected to see if they conform to new EU regulations. 'Oh joy' we said to each other and burst out laughing!!!

For Francophiles I can recommend, as essential reading,the following book (kindly sent to me last week by a good friend) Talk to the Snail - Ten Commandments for understanding the French by Stephen Clarke.

Lunch was an excellent mackerel pate made by chef WPH. Delicious..mmm.

After the mandatory daily rest on the bed, I then decided to take a second walk of the day, (another first) having counted my visit to the Ashmolean as walk number 1. I decided to walk solo, (yet another first) without my minder WPH, as he needed to do some shopping. Walking solo was rather reminiscent of driving solo for the first time.

Q Which route would I take?

A The one I took yesterday.

Q Would I do anything daring along the way? You know me!

A Yes, I decided to extend my walk and take in an extra 100 metres.

Q Would I get home in one piece?

A Yes - the feel of returning independence was fantastic!

Today has been a really good day.

A weekend of outings

It is great to feel I am returning to normal life, (whatever that may be). I took my first car journey as a passenger yesterday morning when we went up to Headington to Waitrose. Although I sat in the car while WPH went to purchase Greek yoghurt, the outing provided me with a welcome change of scene as well as an opportunity to people watch. I even spotted two former parents from school in the car park!

It was also good to use my coveted blue badge for the first time. I applied to the County Council for the badge in October having filled in a lengthy form, downloaded from the internet. One of the questions which I had to answer was to estimate the time it took me to walk 100 metres. My GP was contacted to verify my statements and then I waited to hear if my application had been successful. It seemed appropriate that the badge came through the post on the day following my operation...I know that I will appreciate the benefits of the blue badge to enable me to access otherwise inaccessible places during my recuperation.

In the afternoon we went to see and cuddle baby Ben. He is thriving and seems to be settling into a good routine of waking and sleeping. He is a month old today and life would seem strange without him now.

I have managed two walks today; the first this morning around the block and the second meandering slowly through the streets of Woodstock after enjoying a cup of Earl Grey and a toasted teacake in the Blenheim Tea Rooms. Life is definitely returning to normal at last!

Helpful Housekeeper

On Thursday evening we said goodbye to our younger daughter, Alice, who had kindly spent four days helping her 'old folks' following my return home from hospital. She arrived with a box full of organic vegetables, (full of healing properties), from Abel and Cole and soon took over the kitchen. I could hear plenty of laughter from upstairs as she and WPH put the world to rights and the meals on the kitchen table. Her lamb tagine with pomegranate couscous was a triumph, as was the chicken soup with chunky vegetables and pork with mustard and cider sauce. Cooked breakfasts suggested WPH and I were staying in a 5 star hotel.Life has quietened down since Alice's departure....we certainly realise how much we appreciated our energetic temporary housekeeper! However WPH has returned to full time kitchen duties with renewed enthusiasm...as they say 'a change is as good as a rest'.

The Daily Walk

'Begin by pottering around the house and by taking a short walk each day, trying to avoid uneven ground.' This is a key piece of advice in the leaflet I was given on leaving the NOC. Like most people I had taken walking for granted, but a hip replacement suddenly focuses the mind on this basic human skill. Initially co-ordinating sticks and feet was tricky but after a week the left stick, right foot, right stick, left foot sequence now comes naturally.

I look forward with excitement to my daily walk. I fill my lungs with air and conclude that the quality of the Oxford air is better than I ever thought possible! Reluctant, unused muscles are slowly returning to life, particularly the gluteous maximus...(buttocks to you and me).

The walks began last Saturday when I ventured as far as the pavement. Each day I set myself a new target as I have a goal of walking a mile by six weeks post operation. This morning I have walked 300 metres in the welcome sunshine. Fantastic. Now for some inside pottering....

Bionic Lady Hip is back!

Since I returned home on Friday morning the time has simply flown by....but one thing is for sure - it was wonderful to be home on Day 4!

I have nothing but praise for the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (NOC) and feel so fortunate to have benefited from the expertise and skill of my surgeon and the dedicated nursing staff there. This was definitely the NHS at its best. The NOC has a fascinating history and the following link illustrates its gradual development.

http://www.noc.nhs.uk/aboutus/history.aspx

A recent investment of £42 million has seen the NOC transformed yet again into the modern hospital you can see in these pictures. Patients come from a wide surrounding area. In my four bay room on Ward E were Patricia from Abingdon (total left hip replacement), Ann from Islip (total right hip replacement) and Enid from Halton, near Wendover (total left knee replacement). A cameraderie soon emerged amongst us as we encouraged each other to take those all important first steps. However for Enid the recovery has been slow. She had her first operation five weeks ago followed last week by a second. I hope she continues to make good progress and returns home to her much loved Stan very soon.

The moment when I returned to my feet was indescribably good; the feeling of returning independence and progress is very sweet! More followed and even though I am seen here in a wheelchair my face reflects my delight as I am about to be wheeled by 'dishy John' the physio, to do my test on the practice staircase. This was to be my second try as I had fainted at my first attempt (which the family maintain was more a case of swooning over John than my low blood pressure!)

And that as they say is all history now. The brain seems to have slowed down somewhat but the hip is working brilliantly and the posts should speed up now that I have plenty to blog about!

Final Preparations

I thought I needed to write a final post before I say farewell for a few days....

The anti MRSA medication precautions have been used and I am ready for hospital life from 7.30am tomorrow morning.

My suitcase is packed and holds essentials as well as Treats!

'Treats?' I hear you ask.

My secret is out....I wonder if they are allowed?

Something to while away the time (when I am not doing physio of course!

And some very special home made cards from Livvy and Alex....

The phone calls and emailed messages of support from family and friends have been a fantastic help. Thank you!

As for WPH, (seen here having some much needed R and R, before he cooks pasta and meatballs tonight), what would I have done without him?

I'll be back soon!

Fresh Optimism

I feel the time has come to concentrate on the matter in hand and so blogs will probably cease now until I return home with my new, improved, high tech, artificial hip joint. For those born this week the future looks good for worn out body parts. You may like to look at the following link for a glimpse of how science and technology will improve the quality of life for ageing people across the world. More power to their replacement elbows!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/6376017/Grow-your-own-body-parts-could-herald-in-the-age-of-the-active-centenarian.html

A new spirit of determination has possessed me this evening...no boudoir for me. I'll be climbing the stairs to bed on my return and improving my mobility at the same time. Nice blinds though in the dining room. Huge thanks to WPH. He and I will enjoy entertaining in our 'boudoir ' salle a manger!

Bye for now......

A new little cherub

Well worth waiting for ....this little cherub looks very content and happy to have joined the family. We wish him a long, healthy and happy life.

Hideaway

When hurt, animals instinctively hide away to lick their wounds. I understand perfectly as HR day draws nearer. Maybe today's fixing of new blinds in my temporary 'bedroom to be' suddenly gives the room a sense of being apart from the real world; somewhere for me to retreat to as I find my feet again on my return home from hospital. At the moment the room is home to three wine racks - is this really appropriate for a convalescent?- an oak dining table and eight oak chairs. Temporary storage space has been found but final conversion to bedroom status is still two weeks away. At the moment the room lacks warmth and not just because the radiator is turned off. It needs family photos, books, subtle lighting and much more. WPH will come up trumps I know.... in his head he tells me he has a vision of a cosy boudoir!

A Useful Diversion

I have knitted since the age of six and will always be grateful to my mother who taught me the basic skills so effectively. She kept a stash of unused wool in a massive chest of drawers and would occasionally pull out the heavy bottom drawer to let me choose from its hidden scented depths. In the 1950s knitting was also included in the 'craft' repertoire at my primary school. Plenty of practice on Friday afternoons, using big needles and thick wool, resulted in tea cosies (shapeless but effective!) and endless dolls' blankets. Reading simple patterns followed, shaping became more adventurous and the production line has continued ever since.

At the moment knitting provides a welcome way to fill my sedentary way of life as I sit and wait for Hip Replacement Day (now referred to as HR Day). We are also waiting for our fifth grandchild to make an appearance so unusually I have several completed projects keeping me company. I hope the little cherub won't keep us waiting much longer....

This afternoon I completed a sleeveless sweater for grandson number 2. He asked for the scottie dog pocket and I can only guess as to what he will keep in it! I have decided though that the next project will be for me....a pair of socks to keep my feet warm after HR Day. That reminds me that post HR Day, as one of his duties as my official 'carer', WPH will need to assist me in dressing. The prospect of him wrestling with compression stockings doesn't bear thinking about! Socks should therefore be a doddle. I'll keep you all informed....

Masterchef in training

As the date of my hip replacement operation draws nearer WPH and I have been considering the practicalities of my recuperation. WPH has kindly offered to take on the catering during the initial few weeks. Normally he acts as chief bottle washer with some occasional vegetable preparation and I know that he would agree that his cooking skills have been somewhat neglected in recent years.

Where to start then? Firstly we are making a provisional list of 'possible' menus so that some essential practice can take place! The list so far seems to be dominated by pasta, bacon, cheese and meatballs. A limited repertoire but already new dishes are being added; this week WPH has mastered mackerel pate, and a delicious lamb hot pot. Quoting Gregg Wallace and Michel Roux from the current BBC Masterchef series I can say the lamb dish was 'bursting with flavour' and 'up to the standard required'. I finished everything on my plate!

Well done to WPH. It is not easy having Lady Hip perching next to you on her new kitchen stool, watching your every move whilst you are trying to refine those latent cooking skills!

PS. Daughter number 2 is very kindly coming to relieve WPH from kitchen duties for a few days when I return from hospital so the plans are coming together.

Categories

I enjoy using my bus pass and appreciate the benefit of free transport. Buses are frequent on our route although the No 6 which comes along just after 9am is always crammed full with other beneficiaries of the wonderful bus pass!

I usually prefer to sit towards the back of the No 6..... perhaps it goes back to my schooldays when my friends and I sat on the back seat of the coach when we were taken to and from matches. Our singing and laughter was LOUD.

However when I climbed on the No 6 this week it was clear that the bus was full and it would be impossible to make my way to the back. At the sight of me, stepping carefully with my walking stick onto the bus, a young lady immediately stood up and offered me her seat. I was relieved as the troublesome hip was making its presence felt as usual. I thanked her and sat down gratefully. At this point I looked out of the window and saw the following sign.

The kind young lady had actually done me a favour and made me acknowledge that I am now a member of a new category - 'the disabled', (temporarily, I hope). But I don't like the term 'the disabled'. If society has to categorise people I can't help thinking that the sign on the bus coming home was rather better phrased. It read

'Priority seat for elderly and disabled people'

I hope I catch that bus again.

A diversionary pastime

The wonderful late summer sunshine has seen me busy in the garden during the past week. Having a small paved patio garden is wonderful when quick results are needed; completed tasks give wonderful satisfaction and the prospect of next year's colours and leafy combinations excite the creative spirit in me. As usual WPH's help has been invaluable with the lifting of pots as well as the carrying of compost and bark. Weeding, pruning, raking, planting and watering are now complete and we can look forward to some new surprises next year.

I feel sure there will be more visits to the garden centre during the Autumn!

In Limbo

Those who may have been following the exploits of The Troublesome Hip may be forgiven for assuming that I had recently lost the will to blog. Since my last post I have been through a strange limbo like state, as the longed for appointment with the orthopaedic consultant gradually drew nearer. My mind has been preoccupied with too many thoughts and speculations such as

• Are my painkillers really addictive?




• Is one of my legs now shorter than the other?




• How far will I be able to walk in six months time?




• Will I like the consultant?

Everyone I meet seems to have had either a hip replacement, know the consultant, be a physiotherapist (scary!) or have sorry tales of woe to tell about others' experiences. I even spoke on the phone with someone whose wife had two hip replacements done at the same time and didn't recover for eighteen months. I think this is what is known as 'information overload'!

Finally yesterday arrived; I kept my appointment and finally emerged from my state of limbo. I have new bedside reading material and my thoughts are now on limbo dancing!

The Perfect Partners

This is the amazing pillow speaker


The three essentials for whiling away time in the small hours

And who would know what lies beneath the pillow?

An Unexpected Bonus

Waking in the middle of the night or in the early hours is par for the course with a troublesome hip, so it is very important to develop strategies for passing the waking time. There is of course a limit to the number of cups of tea which can be made and consumed quietly and also the frequency of the requisite trips to the bathroom which follow....

I used to turn on my Roberts radio at low volume to while away the time but this wasn't always ideal. Hearing it was rather hit and miss depending on the programme and which ear I had near the radio. BUT now I have found a wonderful solution thanks to daughter number 1. She recommended I bought a pillow speaker and having tried hers for a night I was soon online to Amazon! This amazing device can be used with a radio or MP3 player and it means you can really hear a discussion, news bulletins, music, podcasts or whatever takes your fancy without disturbing the person who is sleeping peacefully next to you.

What a bonus! I now know so much about the Great Bustard which has been reintroduced to Britain after a gap of 177 years....

Alternative Therapy

Having plenty to do and think about is excellent for diverting the mind away from the troublesome hip. During the last month all our three adult offspring, their other halves and all our four grandchildren have spent time with us in our French house, so there has been endless activity and laughter as well as loads of cooking, washing, ironing and cleaning! It is particularly wonderful though to see how agile and energetic the grandchildren are; running rather than walking, jumping and leaping in preference to stepping, whilst chasing seems far more exciting than walking side by side. Meanwhile the accompanying adults step steadily behind, including the one with the stick.....

'Watch me, Granny. I can do this!' can be heard at regular intervals.

'Fantastic' I reply. ' Do it again!'

No problem with climbing into the hammock for them. Hmm....there must be a way.

And so that is why I have developed a new technique for my hammock manoeuvres:-

• bottom in first, at right angles to the hammock


• swing the flexible left leg in next


• lastly assist the troublesome right leg in


• lean back and enjoy!

'Fantastic,' they shout 'Let's swing you!'

I have to admit it is very gratifying to see their admiring looks and to feel like a child again.

What's in a name?

When I was a child I was given Rose Hip syrup for its vitamin C content. When I became a mother I gave it to my children too. It went down well.
A few months ago I began to see and read articles about a new potential benefit of Rose Hips. Scientists have discovered what the indigenous people of the Americas discovered centuries ago, that the extract from a wild variety of Rose Hip called Rosa canina, offers effective pain relief. More effective apparently than paracetemol in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Worth a try I thought, as I hurried round to my local branch of Holland and Barrett. As I took the plastic container to the checkout I glanced again at the label. I read 'ROSE HIP' in pink script. But why 'HIP'? Those indigenous Americans must have known a thing or two!

Joint Awareness

Our joints are hidden hinges and include ball and socket joints. When they work efficiently it's easy not to think about them. We can check up visually on other working bits of our body but our bones fortunately remain concealed. A worn out bone can only communicate through pain and loss of flexibility and I suppose that is how it gradually dawned on me that I was developing an arthritic hip.


It all began six years ago....but how was it possible when I was only 54? Surely I was far too young to have arthritis. Not so, according to my doctor and the inevitable Xray. I immediately began to try to pinpoint a cause. Could it have been the

• ballet lessons I had as a child?
• much loved horse riding?
• jumping from high walls, when dared by my older brother?
• carrying of three babies perched on my right hip?
• bending and squatting when teaching small children?
• digging my veggie plots?
• walking?

But the list was pointless. It was no good thinking 'if only I hadn't done'........

This was something I needed to accept. I could exercise and maintain my general fitness but ultimately I would need help to resolve this frustrating problem.

Peach Kir

Relaxing over an evening drink with the remains of a peach kir in one hand, the conversation turned once again to the troublesome hip. Suddenly I announced to my wonderful, patient husband (now known as WPH), daughter number 1 and our son in law,

'I know, why don't I write a blog about it?'

'Good idea, it can be the journey of your hip' our son in law responded quickly

'Why not? I can help you set it up and get you started' said daughter, who is an impressive and experienced blogger with over a year's experience.

WPH looked slightly bemused and nodded in agreement.

So here I am writing my first blog and all because dear daughter's hand slipped when making my peach Kir! The overdose on alcohol is totally responsible for me ending up hoping a positive can emerge from the negative aspects of the troublesome hip.

As for the hip....more of that later.